Musical America Blogs

By: Edna Landau

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of leading a Lunch and Learn seminar at the Juilliard School. This weekly series, curated by Courtney Blackwell Burton, the director of the school’s Office of Career Services, covers a variety of topics of importance to the students as they progress in their career preparation. During the Q & A session, composer Nathan Prillaman asked the following: “Many of us are involved in multiple genres of music, whether as performers, composers, producers or administrators. How should we go about branding, marketing and developing these different facets of our careers? Should we keep them under separate names with separate support systems, or should we integrate them? If the latter, how should we go about it?”

I visited Mr. Prillaman’s website to see how he was currently dealing with this quandary. His home page shared some basic biographical information which revealed the range of his activities (including the fact that he was writing a musical), but I particularly liked two sentences that I found on an inside page: “Nathan Prillaman is a composer and producer based in New York City. Trained at Juilliard and Yale, his music lives in the club, the concert hall, and everywhere in between.” I felt that they would have been very welcome on his home page as an intro to his bio. He has a tab called “Works” with all of his compositions and a Media tab which offers both audio and video samples of his works. The setup feels totally right to me at this stage of Mr. Prillaman’s career and it is evident that his production expertise has evolved naturally from presentations of his work.

The situation becomes more complicated when a young performer who aspires to achieve recognition in one genre wants to simultaneously embark on another area of performance. I encountered this in my work with pianist Jeffrey Kahane, who began receiving unsolicited conducting offers in 1988, five years after winning First Prize in the Arthur Rubinstein Piano Competition and seven years after capturing a top prize in the Van Cliburn Piano Competition. My instincts were to continue to capitalize on the momentum that was building and leading to more and more prestigious invitations as a pianist and to gradually pursue opportunities that would strengthen his confidence and expertise as a conductor. I felt that the time would come when his primary reputation would simply be as a superb musician, and that opportunities to both play and conduct would abound. Happily, this proved to be true as Mr. Kahane is a regular soloist and guest conductor with leading orchestras and is in his 17^th season as Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Every once in a while, an artist displays multiple talents at an early age and has the good fortune to develop them fairly equally without sacrificing his or her psychological well-being or causing any conflict in the development of their career. I was reminded of this about ten days ago when I read a New York Times review of a concert by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra which marked the 50^th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. It included a specially commissioned work by the 19-year-old composer Conrad Tao, “The World Is Very Different Now”, which received a warm reception. (Conrad had appeared twice as pianist with the Dallas Symphony and they asked to hear some of his compositions, which greatly impressed them.) My first introduction to Conrad was when Yocheved Kaplinsky, his teacher at The Juilliard School, urged me to attend his performance of the Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto with The Juilliard Orchestra, the result of his having won the school’s Concerto Competition. I was totally blown away by his remarkable artistry and technical accomplishment at the tender age of twelve. She told me in passing that he was also an accomplished violinist and composer. I signed him to IMG Artists shortly thereafter but his career management has been handled very ably to this day by Charles Letourneau. I spoke to Charles and Conrad during the past week and both spoke of the evolution of his career as an organic process. Conrad had been playing violin and piano, as well as composing, since the age of four or five so it seemed logical to continue in that vein. He studied composition with Christopher Theofanidis and received the first of eight consecutive ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards at the age of nine. It was agreed that the primary focus of his promotion and career development should be on piano, but when a demo tape of a recital from the Verbier Festival that included a piano sonata by Conrad was disseminated among presenters, word spread quickly that this exceptional pianist was also a gifted composer.

After performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in the first half of a concert with the Orchestra of the Americas in Florida in 2009 and the Mendelssohn g minor concerto in the second half, Conrad realized how much work would be involved in maintaining both disciplines to a satisfactory level and he decided to forego violin professionally. In 2011, he enrolled in the joint program offered by Juilliard and Columbia University, where he is currently pursuing a major in Ethnic Studies. The launch of his first full-length album for EMI (“Voyages”), which includes two of his own compositions, coincided with a highly imaginative and favorably received three-day festival of new music (UNPLAY) that Conrad curated and introduced on his 19^th birthday. Conrad told me that this curatorial role was a natural extension of his ongoing exploration of ways to create a unique, live experience in his concert programs. While he agrees, from a branding perspective, that it may be advisable to compartmentalize the multiple skills of an artist in their younger years and even to continue to highlight their different strands of mature activity with separate website pages, he has always felt that in his case, they all fed one another. They were also part of his own exploration of his role as a musician. He feels a keen responsibility to use his gifts to make a contribution to the world and cited an interview with David Lang in The Wall Street Journal in which he spoke of the need for classical musicians to be good citizens. At this level of dedication and seriousness of purpose, it seems to matter little how an artist should focus their branding. We live in a time when the world is happy to embrace multi-talented individuals for who they are and for the inspiration they can add to their lives. The artist (together with any representative they may have) should do the best possible job of presenting themself to the public in all the ways that matter to them and leave it to the rest of us to enjoy the full range of their multifaceted artistry.

©Edna Landau 2013

By: Edna Landau

In my most recent blog post, I addressed the question of how to find a publicist for a special project. The reality is, however, that many young musicians are not in a position to pay a publicist even for an individual project. For this reason, I am dedicating this column to DIY publicity. The information herein has been gained from speaking to valued colleagues, a number of whom regularly dedicate considerable time to counseling young musicians on this topic, whether during visits to music schools and conservatories or as part of their business activities.

I have often wondered how much attention a journalist will pay to a recording or project that has been brought to their attention by the artist directly, rather than a publicist. The result of my investigation was heartening. While a pitch from a publicist may catch the writer’s eye more immediately, it is the content of the pitch which really matters the most. James Inverne,  former editor of Gramophone magazine and currently Co-Managing Director of Inverne Price Music Consultancy, told me that although he thought of himself as a highly approachable editor while at Gramophone, he rarely had time to do his homework on artists who approached him out of the blue. It helped, therefore, when they had a publicist whose artistic standards he trusted as it was a good indicator of their potential. It also helped if the artist was with a good record label or was championed by a known artist. However, of paramount importance was whether the artist seemed clear in their own mind as to who they were artistically and whether they were able to present themselves in a way that would make an editor care about them. He elaborated on that by saying that “there is thinking to be done before there is pitching to be done.” If an artist doesn’t have a manager or publicist, it helps if they have an adviser with whom they can have strategic and artistic discussions prior to mounting any sort of publicity campaign.

In the course of my work on this column, I was introduced by Rebecca Davis to Sarah Baird Knight of DOTDOTDOTMUSIC, who truly touched me with her dedication to educating young people about promoting their activities through building their identity, with an eye towards maximizing their potential for eventual press coverage. She and her business partner, Steven Swartz, visited Princeton University this past summer to speak to percussion students and composers at So Percussion’s Summer Institute. As part of their business, they offer in depth one-on-one consultations with artists in which they explore everything from building an effective website to navigating social media and communicating appropriately with the press. They believe that there is considerable homework to be done by any artist seeking publicity, such as establishing a presence on Facebook and Twitter and participating actively in “the many water cooler conversations that happen there daily,” as well as generously sharing interesting and helpful information with others. Ms. Knight concurs with James Inverne that a critical activity is “launching entrepreneurial projects that articulate one’s artistic identity and passion”. An equally important step is to regularly “collect interested parties of all stripes into a mailing list”. The larger the fan base you can attract and build and the clearer your artistic identity, the greater the chance that you can also attract press attention. She cautions, however, that one should never add a press person to one’s mailing list without first gaining their permission.  A good way to do this when writing to someone in the media is to mention your upcoming event with a link to further information about it, and to ask whether you might stay in touch with them about yourself or your ensemble. This might be a bit less “threatening” than to ask outright whether you might add them to your mailing list.

Amanda Sweet of Bucklesweet Media underscored to me the importance of knowing something about individual writers and what they like to cover. If you’ve read something by them that you really liked, it can’t hurt to mention that when you approach them. Nancy Shear suggested to me that an attention-getting e-mail might include a statement about a particular connection that the artist might have to works they are performing or recording — for example, if the work has folk-based themes and the artist has a strong connection to that culture or country, or if their teacher studied with or knew the composer.

I have always felt that the biggest obstacle for an artist trying to approach the press directly is obtaining their contact information. Ms. Knight suggested that artists make Google their best friend. A Google search of artists making music similar to theirs will yield information about where they have received coverage. They might gain information also from searching the artist’s e-mail address or Twitter handle. Once they have targeted a group of press outlets, they might well find an e-mail address on the masthead of the publication. Even info@email addresses should be noted and used. She also drew my attention to the following very useful Twitter directory:  http://mcmvanbree.com/dutchperspective/twitter/people.htm. Artists should be sure not to overlook blogs and online publications. An excellent resource for this is The Big List of Classical Music Blogs.

I haven’t yet addressed the mechanics of preparing press releases and calendar listings for dissemination to the press. Happily, many schools currently offer their students classes and seminars which address this topic. Angela Myles Beeching’s excellent book Beyond Talent is a wonderful source of information (pages 183-197). Examples can also be found on Google by entering “writing a successful (or great, or effective) press release.”

Gail Wein of Classical Music Communications was kind enough to draw my attention to two new websites which artists might consider in their DIY approaches: New York Classical Review and Classical Voice North America. New York Classical Review was founded by critic and writer Lawrence A. Johnson. It joins earlier results of his efforts including The Classical Review and websites covering the arts in Boston, Chicago and South Florida. In an e-mail to me, Mr. Johnson indicated that they are happy to receive information about any professional classical concerts of interest. However, he pointed out that with the large volume of cultural offerings in New York each day, their coverage will be less comprehensive on the newest website than in other cities. They will naturally cover high-profile events but are also interested in presentations in smaller venues and programs that are offbeat in nature. Information should be sent to ljohnson@theclassicalreview.com.

Classical Voice North America was launched by The Music Critics Association of North America.  It is a “new web journal of music criticism and commentary written by its members and occasional guest contributors. “ According to Barbara Jepson, president of the MCANA and a frequent writer for the Wall Street Journal’s Leisure & Arts, as well as other national publications, “it was created to provide increased coverage of classical music at a time when it has been reduced or eliminated in traditional print outlets.” I asked Ms. Jepson whether there was a vehicle for performing artists without publicists to submit ideas for coverage by CVNA.  She said that it was fine to send e-mails or press releases to their local critics who might contribute to the website or to CVNA.editor@gmail.com. She suggested that submissions should focus on events of national interest, such as a concert tour rather than a single engagement, or an event that might involve unusual repertoire or new scholarship, or that might tie in with a national trend. It is not impossible that a single concert might be covered, especially if the program included the premiere of a new work written by a widely recognized composer or one who has begun to attract significant attention. Further guidelines can be found in the “Contact the Editors” section of CVNA’s website. It should also be noted that CVNA is interested in hearing from performers who can write articulately about issues that are important to them, or discuss some aspect of music that they are performing that would be of interest to a classical music audience.

At my request, Ms. Jepson offered a few words of advice to artists approaching the press on their own. She suggested that if you make an initial contact and do not hear anything back after a few weeks, it is fine to send a follow-up e-mail. Writers are deluged with releases and also are frequently working under deadlines. However, if there is no response after the second approach, she suggests that you try someone else. In such an instance, she emphasized that the artist should never take it personally if they do not receive a response. It doesn’t mean that their project isn’t worthy. It just means that the publication or website has decided for whatever reason not to follow through at that time. She added that it’s not realistic to expect that critics will give personal feedback on a recording or performance unless they formally do so in a review. Overall, she suggested that “the best thing a performer can do to attract press attention is to learn to think like a music journalist. What’s new? What represents a trend? What’s a different viewpoint from the prevailing orthodoxy?” This advice seems eminently logical and succinctly to the point for anyone developing an independent publicity strategy.

© Edna Landau 2013

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Having written an article in Musical America’s 2011 Directory entitled Getting Noticed in the 21^st Century, I am often approached by young artists who are contemplating a variety of projects such as recordings or special concerts and who want to know how to get noticed for them. In my early years as an artist manager, it was common for publicists to build the majority of their business around clients who paid a year-round retainer. Times have changed and it would appear that virtually all of today’s most active publicists are open to taking on individual projects. However, they definitely have criteria for determining which to accept. It is my hope that this blog post will help to enlighten artists regarding how to maximize their chances for teaming up with an effective public relations representative and what the financial parameters of such an investment might be.

In speaking with various colleagues of mine in the public relations arena, I was not surprised to hear all of them say that the most important criteria for them in accepting a project are newsworthiness and quality. This would only seem logical, since it is the job of a publicist to attract as much attention as possible to an artist’s activities and in these times, that may be no small feat. There is considerably less coverage of new album releases than there was five to ten years ago and also less airplay. There are fewer arts critics on staff and consequently less performances being reviewed.  A concert performed by a relatively unknown artist which offers an interesting program (unusual repertoire or juxtaposition of repertoire, a newly discovered, original or commissioned work), and which might take place in an unusual venue, stands a greater chance of attracting coverage than one that consists of what would be considered “standard repertoire”, offered for no other reason than to make a debut in a particular city. A concert with a story behind it, such as an artist overcoming a hurdle in their life or returning to their home town to perform with the youth orchestra, is also more likely to attract attention.  A publicist may be far more inclined to take on a record release project if there is some touring around it that offers some of the same repertoire. Visits to individual markets on tour create more of a story and offer a broader context for coverage of the artist and their new release.  The publicists I spoke to also stressed the importance of a personal connection with the artist seeking to engage their services, meaning that they want to sense the artist’s passion for the project and feel that they can feel equally passionate about it. Rebecca Davis told me that her goal is to always work for clients who she hopes she can make people care about.

It would seem that the typical time span for an individual project might be anywhere from four to six months. Most publicists want to have at least two months before the concert or record release to lay the groundwork for coverage and two to three months afterward to follow up and prepare a proper report for the client. The average fee per month seems to range from $1500 to $3000.

If an artist is far enough along in their career to benefit from and be able to afford a publicist’s ongoing services, working together initially on a project might be an excellent way to assess the potential chemistry and effectiveness of such a collaboration. Often an artist will discover that the publicist has valuable advice to offer, ranging from using their social media contacts more effectively to finding the perfect concert attire. Amanda Sweet, President of Bucklesweet Media, told me that when she took on the New West Guitar Group, they had no manager. She gave them advice about how to promote themselves, how to seek a recording partner, and how to reach out to presenters, especially universities. Veteran publicist Jay K. Hoffman told me that he works closely with an artist on strategically enhancing the potential interest in their project. He called it “finding a format to make an event one of a kind”. If an artist approaches him about an all-Bach concert, he might suggest that they present it at 8:00 but follow it up with a short “after concert” of totally different repertoire at 10:30, providing they have the stamina for it!

I asked a number of the people I spoke to whether artists could hope to achieve coverage for their projects on their own, without the assistance of a publicist. Not one of them said no, although they cautioned that it involved a lot of persistence and very hard work. Some were kind enough to give me pointers which I will share very soon in a follow-up column on this subject.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2013

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

‘Tis the season to perform in a competition. A little over two weeks ago, the American Pianists Association announced that pianist Sean Chen is the winner of the 2013 Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship, valued at over $100,000. As I write this column, 63 candidates are performing in the first round of the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition in Brussels. And just a little over two weeks from now, 30 candidates who have qualified for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will give their first performances in Ft. Worth, Texas. I have written before on this blog about the pros and cons of competitions and have written a Musical America Special Report called Choosing the Best Competition for YOU”. Still, the topic continues to interest me. In looking at the brief bios of the candidates on the Van Cliburn Competition website, I was struck by the fact that most of them had entered a significant number of competitions in the past and very few had won a first prize in a major international competition. This would seem logical since if they had, they probably wouldn’t have felt the need to enter the Van Cliburn Competition. Yet I wondered how they found the strength to proceed from one competition to the next with the optimism and mental fortitude necessary to maximize their chances for success. It occurred to me that maybe they weren’t entering only to win a top prize but perhaps there were other important goals they hoped to achieve in the process. I decided to speak with Sean Chen and to his good friend Steven Lin, a winner of the 2012 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition. Both are candidates in the upcoming Van Cliburn Competition, even though they have won several years of management services and concert bookings as part of their recent top prizes. I was amazed to hear both of them say that a major motivation to enter competitions has been the opportunity to play in big cities for large, appreciative audiences who love the classical piano repertoire. It made me sad to realize how truly rare that must be for many of today’s most promising artists. The competition becomes a welcome excursion away from the isolation of the practice room and into a stimulating and exciting environment in which their hard work may culminate in their first significant recognition as a compelling artist. Sean Chen actually compared today’s larger competitions to a festival where participants often get a chance to listen to one another, something he finds most beneficial. He didn’t see any reason to be discouraged if he didn’t come out on top, as long as he played his best and communicated his musical ideas as he intended. He also appreciates that APA, along with other competitions, offers cash prizes to all finalists. Steven Lin told me that more than once, in his experience, audience members have come forward to offer concert engagements that weren’t part of the official prizes. When he reached the semi-finals of the Dublin International Piano Competition in 2009, he was approached by a French professor who offered him a concert at the Salle Cortot in Paris, where he has already returned several times. Both pianists mentioned the appeal of being able to play with major orchestras, as Steven Lin did when he played with the Baltimore Symphony in the finals of the William Kapell International Competition.

I was curious to know if there was a reason that both pianists achieved particular success in their most recent competition outings. Sean Chen’s triumph with the American Pianists Association may be due in part to the unique nature of their Fellowship program. Pressure doesn’t mount over the course of the final week since the five finalists have actually performed in various formats over the course of seven months! From the time they are selected from a pool of nominees, they each individually spend two separate weeks in Indianapolis performing in the APA’s “Classical Premiere Series” and “Classical Discovery Week”. The first of these includes a three-day residency that involves teaching and playing with a high school orchestra, an adjudicated public solo recital, and a concerto with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. The second week, during which the Christel DeHaan Classical Fellow is selected, includes adjudicated solo recitals, a chamber music performance, a new music performance and a song recital, as well as a concerto with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. This creates more of an Artist-in-Residence environment than a competitive one. President/CEO and Artistic Director Joel Harrison told me that the APA has gone to great lengths to downplay the idea of participants going head to head in competition but rather to focus on individual artistic expression. Perhaps that is why he becomes personally involved in the finalists’ repertoire decisions. Sean Chen feels that his repertoire choices may have factored into his ultimate success, along with the fact that his confidence and artistic maturity would seem to have grown with each competition experience. He took distinct risks in Indianapolis, performing his own cadenzas in Beethoven’s 4^th concerto, offering his own transcription of Ravel’s La Valse in one of his recitals, and choosing Bartok’s challenging Concerto #2 for his performance with the Indianapolis Symphony. Dr. Harrison supported these choices all the way. Steven Lin agrees that you learn from each competition you enter. One imagines that nerves will never be a problem for him after he completed his preliminary round performance at the 2012 Sendai International Music Competition while an earthquake struck Japan! He feels that he may have won the Concert Artists Guild competition because he changed his focus from practicing intensely to finding his inner voice. He was helped in this process by listening to recordings of old masters such as Richter, Cortot and Horowitz and realizing that no one would ever mistake one for another. (At competitions, it is not uncommon for a number of artists to sound the same.) He also mentioned that Concert Artists Guild required some public speaking, which he found immensely helpful. He thought a lot about what to say regarding the repertoire he had chosen and he feels that his remarks may have put him at ease and involved the audience more in his musicmaking.

And now, on to Ft. Worth, Texas, where Steven Lin, Sean Chen, and three other APA finalists will compete in the Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Both Concert Artists Guild and APA have given them their blessings, recognizing the enormous potential benefits of additional exposure. I asked Steven and Sean whether they felt they were taking any sort of risk after their recent triumphs. Steven said that he is approaching it as another opportunity to perform in front of many people who will now be introduced to him, and to make the best music he can. His goal is to express himself as an artist and to communicate how he feels about the repertoire he is playing. He feels that people go to concerts to experience many different things and that if he and his very gifted co-competitors succeed in being true to themselves, everyone will have benefited from the experience (though he did say that winning a prize would be awesome!). Sean totally concurred with this, saying that most people who follow competitions know that there are many factors that determine who wins. He likened the outing to golf, saying that one can only hope to play one’s best. Both he and Steven are aware that the management services that are provided by APA and CAG will be for a limited time and the chances of obtaining commercial management in the future could potentially be enhanced by their performances in Ft. Worth. In speaking to them about the years that lie ahead, I was heartened to learn that they are both deeply dedicated to music education and that they have well-rounded lives with considerable interests. I feel confident that they will transition from the competition stage of their lives into richly rewarding careers, during which audiences will choose to hear them again and again simply because of the wonderful musicians and people that they are.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2013

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Dear Edna:

First, thanks for your blog. I recommend it to folks all the time! And here’s my latest question: I was wondering if you could give us your perspective on what makes an effective musician’s publicity video – for both soloists and ensembles? I’ve been seeing such a variety of approaches, lengths and production values, it makes me wonder what you’re recommending these days. Thanks.

Angela Beeching, Longtime Edna fan and author, “Beyond Talent”

Dear Angela:

It is always a pleasure and an honor to hear from you. Thanks for the compliment on my blog. You bring up a very interesting topic, because there is no clear definition of what a typical publicity video might be. Many artists don’t have them at all. They choose to upload performances onto YouTube, or include them on their website as part of a media page, and that satisfies most of the presenters who are primarily interested in how they play, sing, or conduct in a variety of repertoire. If they have good videos of themselves engaging in outreach activities, those will often be posted as well. Finally, if they have clearance to post interview footage, they will include it in the mix. The latter gives a better indication of what they are like as communicators in a non-performing situation and acquaint the viewer with other aspects of their life that are important to them. It is still pretty uncommon for artists and ensembles to hire people to create a promotional video for them, partly because of the cost. It is far more common for artists who have recording affiliations to have videos that relate to a particular recording project, which are produced by the record company. Such videos might make you want to run out and buy the album, but you may not learn too much about the artist.

An ideal promotional video, in my opinion, will feature the artist speaking and performing, and may be embellished by some background footage and a narrative that weaves everything together. It will be joyful and energetic, or insightful and moving in a way that compels you to watch until the very end. It will give a good idea of what makes the artist tick and reflect the passion and commitment that fuel their artistry. A length of three to seven minutes seems to work well. Some artists who may not have had the means to hire someone to produce a video from scratch have obtained the rights to video footage from interviews and edited it down, primarily showing them talking, but not the interviewer. The more successful ones include performance samples or the artist playing in the background. I found two that I particularly liked, which are both of violinists: Vilde Frang and Madalyn Parnas. Ms. Frang’s video was posted by her general management, Askonas Holt, who call it a “video biography”. It features the young violinist rehearsing the Bruch Concerto No. 1 with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Jakob Hrusa, interspersed with comments by Ms. Frang, seemingly excerpted from an interview, which include reflections about the importance of being inspired and the broad variety of potential sources for inspiration, all articulated in a soft but compelling way that draws the viewer in. Ms. Frang’s apparent wisdom beyond her years, and her beautiful playing, convinced me over the course of the seven minute video that I must be sure not to miss her next appearance in New York. I was introduced to violinist Madalyn Parnas by Portrait of a Violinist: Madalyn Parnas, which was created by Steve Torres, a friend who she met at Indiana University. He loved the idea of tagging along with her on the day of a concert in New York and decided to interview her and make the video as an independent project. This video has some background playing by Ms. Parnas and some attractive glimpses of New York City, but very little actual performance footage. Still, one is captivated by Ms. Parnas as a person, right from the start of the video when she says: “From the very beginning I was passionate about music.” Her passion is palpable, as are her charm and energy. The video ends with her saying: “What a blessing to be able to make music your profession.”  In between, she speaks about the joy of working with living composers and her new recording with her sister and duo partner, Cicely, with whom she is briefly viewed in a new music performance. Madalyn comes across as genuine, modest, and extraordinarily dedicated to her craft. The bits of playing in the background reinforce the impression of a serious artist but in this video, it is the sheer force of personality that captivates the viewer.

In general, there seem to be more ensemble promotional videos than soloist ones. The majority of ensemble videos I have viewed seem to have been produced in an effort to clarify the mission and vision of groups whose names and instrumentation alone might not give a clear enough idea of their identity. One such ensemble is Time for Three, whose promotional video, only three minutes long, is chock full of energy and dynamism. It starts with them entering the stage with Christoph Eschenbach at a Philadelphia Orchestra concert and ends with a whopping quote from Sir Simon Rattle. (Other impressive quotes are also intermittently flashed on the screen.) In between, they are seen talking, performing and interacting with one another, always exuding a sense of fun. I encourage you to watch it since no description really does it justice.  Classical Jam, a hard to define chamber group whose core musicians perform on violin, viola, cello, flute and percussion, regularly collaborate with other top-notch musicians in a variety of concert formats, in which they work closely with presenters towards the important goals of community building and arts advocacy. They recently produced a video to demonstrate an interactive feature of some of their concerts, which they call the Master Jam. It begins with an explanation of who they are, and has many well-chosen images which relate to these goals and clearly demonstrate the wonderful impact that the ensemble has on its audiences. Their energy and joy are abundantly evident from the start. The background music which runs throughout the three minute video is very appealing and it ends with Classical Jam’s mission and vision statement. The group’s cellist, Wendy Law, told me that they worked with a filmmaker, Natasha Marco, who is a friend and supporter of Classical Jam. She indicated that a video of this sort might cost in the area of $1000. She also offered the following advice: “The most important tip in creating a video is to find a clear and concise narrative. We want the viewers to come away knowing a little more about who we are and WHY we do what we do. Having a great collaborator who truly understands your vision is also extremely important in creating the video.”

You didn’t ask about composer videos but I heard about one that I found most ingenious and refreshing. It features the composer Gregg Kallor playing his own “Espresso Nirvana”, which is part of a suite he wrote about a day in New York City, “A Single Noon”, inspired by an Emily Dickinson poem by that name. Whether or not you are a coffee lover, you are likely to be motivated to check out this gifted young composer and learn more about his music.  And finally, for sheer fun, I suggest you watch a marvelous little video treat produced by the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. Enjoy!

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2013

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

I am very grateful to my longtime friend and colleague, Albert Imperato, for sharing his time and expertise with me in connection with today’s blog post. Albert is a veteran of the public relations industry and Founding Partner of 21C Media Group, Inc. Most of the answer to the question below was formulated on the basis of a recent conversation with him.

Dear Edna:

I have enjoyed reading your blog and have noticed that there is a topic that you don’t seem to have addressed yet. It concerns interviews. I am a violinist in my early 30’s and am fortunate to have management; however, my manager hasn’t given me much guidance as to how to handle the interviews that sometimes precede my concerts. On some occasions, I have felt that I was too outspoken in an interview, or that I should have just talked less. Do you have some useful tips for me? —R.L.

Dear R.L.,

Thanks very much for your excellent question. Here are some guidelines that I hope you will find helpful in improving both the experience and the outcome of your interviews:

1) Know the exact nature of your interview. Will it be for radio, television, Internet or print? Will it be live or taped? Will it be for a profile of you or will your interview be one of several? If it is for a print publication, is the reader likely to be musically sophisticated or would they be considered more mainstream? This will help you in your preparation.

2) Make sure you know up front how much time the interviewer wants or you are prepared to give them. It will help you prioritize what you want to say. Review the allotted time with the interviewer at the start of the interview and try to keep track of it so that you don’t begin to ramble. In general, it is advisable to be as concise as possible, without sacrificing enthusiasm and warmth that might make the interview more meaningful.

3) Practice for the interview in advance with your manager, publicist (if you have one) or a trusted colleague. Prepare answers to any delicate questions you might anticipate. If you are doing a telephone interview, it might be wise to have bullet points in front of you to remind yourself of important things you want to say. Do not allow the interviewer to goad you into saying something you don’t want to say. Stick to your prepared answer and always remain respectful.

4) Bear in mind that you can introduce information even if you weren’t asked about it. For example, at a logical moment, you can say: By the way, I’m not sure if you were told that I have a new album out. When it comes to talking about future engagements, be careful not to divulge information that has not yet been released to the public by the presenter.

5) If you are asked a question that you don’t understand, ask for clarification. If you don’t know an answer, it’s better to say that you don’t know, than to speculate. If it’s not a live interview, you can offer to get back to the interviewer with an answer. It’s useful to take notes of key things you say during an interview (for future reference) if it doesn’t distract you too much.

6) If you are doing an in person live interview, try to arrive early so as to get comfortable with your surroundings. Arriving early also allows you to relax your body, clear your mind of any distractions, and summon up all of your positive energy.

7) Remember that there is no such thing as “off the record”, even if the interviewer agrees to it. Everything you say could be printed.

8) Try to avoid making negative comments because you can never know in what context they will appear. A joke may look different in print from what you intended. Keep a respectful tone and only say things you would feel comfortable having people read. Avoid controversial topics, such as politics.

9) Be wary of moments of silence. Many of us are tempted to speak in order to reduce the awkwardness at such times, but we are more likely to be off guard and say something we didn’t adequately think through.

10) Remember that you wouldn’t be doing the interview if your remarks weren’t expected to be newsworthy and enlightening. This should always be a source of confidence to you.

I asked Albert Imperato whether it’s possible to ask to see the questions in advance. He said that most writers prefer not to do this. They don’t want to compromise the spontaneity of the interview. It might be possible for a publicist to get a general sense of the thrust of an interview, especially if it will be live and on camera. In some instances, with print interviews, artists have been known to ask for the questions in advance and have given responses by e-mail, but this is more generally accepted in the case of performers who are universally acknowledged as having very busy schedules.

I hope these points prove helpful to you. Becoming adept at interviews is an art. You will undoubtedly learn from each one and before long, you will be able to teach others how to excel in them!

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Note: This is the final “Ask Edna” column of 2012. I wish all our readers a very happy holiday season and look forward to reconnecting with you on January 3, 2013!

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

I am often asked by artists and ensembles how they can gain recognition for themselves and build a following. The easiest way to answer them is by way of example.

Prior to March 1, 2012, I don’t think that Sybarite5 was on my radar screen. I’m sure I read that they were a winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition in the fall of 2011 but the information just passed through my mind at the time. On March 1 of this year, I received my first e-mail communication from them in which they announced their Carnegie Hall debut at Zankel Hall, scheduled for November 13. In the relatively short newsletter, they also announced the first Sybarite5 baby (born to their bassist and his wife), a few upcoming world premiere performances, some educational workshops, and also saluted  their new friends at the Logan Series in Erie, Pennsylvania, saying: “We could not have asked for a warmer, more appreciative audience at Penn State!”  There were links to their tour schedule, their Facebook page, and their downloadable music on iTunes, cdbaby and Bandcamp. It was signed by Angela, Laura, Louis, Sami and Sarah. It was concise but personal. The next newsletter (June 12) announced a refreshing Carnegie Hall “Name that Tune” ticket giveaway contest, which was repeated in the July 13 newsletter. I include that one below because it impressed me so greatly:

Why did this newsletter captivate me and spur me on to find out more about Sybarite5?

a)  It was warm and friendly

b)  It expressed gratitude to the Aspen Music Festival for nurturing them for many years

c)  It shared their personal and professional excitement over their upcoming performances

d)  It reminded everyone about their Carnegie ticket giveaway contest, a great way to build anticipation

e)  It made me feel that my support was important to them

From what I have read and seen on the Internet, this dynamic string quintet brings the same imagination, energy, warmth and creativity to their concert programs. They are also exciting and highly accomplished performers. I look forward to hearing them next month and to following their very promising career. They are off to a great start!

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

I would like to thank the following individuals who helped me prepare this week’s column: Naomi Grabel, Director, Marketing and Creative Services, Carnegie Hall; DeAnna Sherer, Coordinator, Artistic Programs, Carnegie Hall; Monica Parks, Director of Publications, The New York Philharmonic; Christopher Beach, President & Artistic Director, La Jolla Music Society; Martin Schott, Director, Creative Services, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Dear Edna:

I am a violinist who will be graduating with an Artist Diploma from an American conservatory next month. I am fortunate in having won a few competitions which gave me performing opportunities and I have additional ones scheduled in the coming year. I have been advised to invest time and money in getting high quality photos, as well as creating a website. Can you please tell me what I should keep in mind when I prepare for a photo shoot. Am I aiming for portraits or performance photos? Should I be dressed formally or casually? How many photos should I hope to walk away with at the end of the session? Thank you.—Catherine D.

Dear Catherine:

In doing a little research in order to best answer your question, I realized how much has changed since my early days as an artist manager. At that time, we usually sent two black and white head shots, one formal and one informal, and of course they were not digital. When I spoke recently with Monica Parks, Director of Publications at the New York Philharmonic, she stressed the importance of the format of the photos that are submitted today. They look for photos that are at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) or better, and a fairly large file size. This allows them to use the photos in various ways. They can shnrink photos but not enlarge them. It is helpful to have room around the image to allow for cropping. They are looking for color, rather than black and white, and a variety of posed and performance shots. (She mentioned that even in the case of singers and conductors, they welcome some action shots.) It is ok to submit posed photos both with and without your instrument. She also said that it is helpful to have images facing in different directions so they can have maximum flexibility when placing them in printed materials on the right or left side. Of course, a straight on image works in any layout.

Christopher Beach, President of the La Jolla Music Society, told me that they print photos as full pages in their brochure, with overlaid text. Therefore, the quality of the photos is of utmost importance. They need to receive a variety of photos, formal and informal, vertical and horizontal, in color and possibly black and white. For him, it is essential that the photo include the artist’s instrument so that his audience (who may not be familiar with an artist) immediately makes the association and knows what they will be hearing. A performance photo is best. As to the “mood” of the photos, he said: “The best pictures have emotion, and emotion helps to sell tickets.” While some presenters rule out using photos with the artist’s eyes shut, he feels such pictures can be effective and convey great emotion. Naomi Grabel, Director of Marketing at Carnegie Hall, agrees that performance shots are far more exciting than head shots. In choosing photos for their publicity materials, they look for energy, exuberance, dynamism, action and warmth. They feel that the right photograph helps to create a connection between the artist and the audience before they even arrive at the hall.

It is obviously desirable to walk away from a photo shoot with a variety of photos, action and posed, and to be able to use as many as you like. This allows you to alternate them in different years and among different venues, as long as you still look the same! If you and the photographer want to experiment with some full-length shots or fashion oriented photographs that might someday be useful, especially if you are the subject of a feature story, that might prove worthwhile, but keep them in reserve for the appropriate occasion. For those pianists who might be reading this column,  It would be wise to avoid any temptation to replicate some photos I have seen of female pianists in floor length gowns, sprawled over the top of their instrument. Let good sense and good taste always be your guide.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

I recently had the pleasure of leading a Professional Skills session at The Academy – a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School and the Weill Music Institute, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education. The twenty Fellows currently participating in this excellent program represent some of today’s finest young professional musicians. In the question and answer section, violist Margaret Dyer asked: What is an attractive first sentence of a bio? Although I have written about this in an earlier column (Getting to Know You (writing a good bio),  June 2, 2011), I have chosen to address this question again, with a slightly different slant.

It is my belief that the first one or two sentences of a bio should relate information about the particular artist that is central to who they are and that is likely to make you want to continue reading. If there is merit to this statement, the following openings (taken from real artist bios but with names and instruments changed) would not qualify:

Pianist Aristo Allegro’s extensive performance schedule has taken him to the Mostly Mozart Festival, the Prague Spring Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Newport Music Festival, the Savannah Music Festival, the Settimane Musicale in Stresa, Italy, as well as appearances at the Ambassador in Pasadena, the Fiddle Fest, at Alice Tully Hall, the 92^nd Street Y and Carnegie Hall.

In the space of a few short years, violinist Pavlina Presto has ensconced herself on the international stage, both as a recitalist, and as a guest soloist with many leading orchestras.

Sonja Sordino has established an international reputation for profound musicality and articulate virtuosity at the keyboard. In performances throughout Europe, the United States and Asia, she plays a broad repertoire in a powerful yet elegant style.

Some writers of bios like to begin chronologically. We learn when the artist was born or when they started to play their instrument. As a stand-alone piece of information, this is generally not all that interesting. If the writer of gifted 16-year-old pianist George Li’s bio had taken the chronological approach, he or she would have started out as follows: George Li gave his first public performance at Boston’s Steinway Hall at the age of ten. Instead, that information is relegated to the last paragraph and the bio begins: “Pianist George Li possesses brilliant virtuosity and interpretive depth far beyond his years. Rounding off last season playing for President Obama at a White House evening honoring Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, along with capturing a prestigious Gilmore Young Artist Award, George Li is well on the way to a flourishing career.” I like the fact that a news item is combined with mention of an accolade that has significant recognition and respect within the field, but I think that “last season” should be replaced with the actual year.

Although I don’t love quotes in bios, it is helpful in the case of young artists to be able to open their bios by referencing critical praise that endorses their special qualities, especially if they are not yet all that well known. Of course, the quote should come from a significant publication. Here is a good example: “Nineteen-year-old clarinetist Narek Arutyunian is a player who “reaches passionate depths with seemingly effortless technical prowess and beguiling sensitivity” (The Washington Post). It is even more effective if the quote is combined with another piece of information that helps to position the artist as someone on the rise. For example: “Elena Urioste, featured on the cover of Symphony magazine as an emerging artist to watch, has been hailed by critics and audiences alike for her lush tone, the nuanced lyricism of her playing, and her commanding stage presence. Elena’s debut performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2010 were praised by three separate critics for their “hypnotic delicacy”, “expressive poise” and “lyrical sensitivity”. (Note that the introductory sentence sets up the little quotations nicely, and the second sentence informs the reader that she has already made a very important orchestral debut and had unanimous praise from three critics. How often does that happen?!)

Awards are also impressive credentials to include in the first sentence of a bio, provided that they are from recognized institutions and/or competitions. It is nice to find a way to frame the information in a way that reveals a quality of the performer, such as humility. The bio might start: Violinist Benjamin Beilman was deeply honored to win both the First Prize and Radio Canada’s People’s Choice Award in the 2010 Montreal International Musical Competition.

In my opinion, there is room for artists to take greater chances with the opening sentences of their bios and to entice us to get to know them. It is fine to say: Adele Andante spends many of her waking hours dedicated to the pursuit of her two passions in life: playing her cello and advocating for the preservation of our natural resources. Or: Dedicated to sharing his love of classical music with audience members who might otherwise not experience it, flutist Sean Scherzo has made the commitment to set aside one day a month each year in which he will offer free performances to schoolchildren as well as the elderly who cannot leave their senior residences. These opening sentences should certainly segue into more particular information about the artist that helps to establish their credentials and inform us of their artistic accomplishments but it is refreshing to be introduced to the person first. I would love to hear from our readers who may have encountered other opening lines of a refreshing nature.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Just a week ago, I had the pleasure of visiting the Oberlin Conservatory at the kind invitation of Prof. Kathleen Chastain. Prof. Chastain teaches a course called Professional Development for the Freelance Artist and she has been encouraging her students throughout the semester to send in questions to this column. As a result, we have had some excellent questions from Oberlin students which I have enjoyed answering. While at Oberlin, I learned of a brand new initiative, The Rubin Institute for Music Criticism, which excited me greatly. Why, you might ask (Edna), would I become so enthused about a program to train future writers about the arts when they might not be able to support themselves doing so? The internet is full of articles and blogs that address the steady increase in the number of arts critics who have been dismissed from their posts. There is certainly the hope that institutes such as this one may help to underscore the importance of expert music criticism and the role it plays in educating and building future audiences for the arts. I also strongly believe that music students can greatly benefit from having the opportunity to learn from leaders in arts journalism and from the experience of writing about performances they attend. Reflecting upon how they felt about a concert and expressing their thoughts in writing can help them achieve a higher level of objectivity and enable them to set new standards for the evaluation of their own performances. It is one thing to leave a concert exhilarated. It is another thing to be able to articulate why. Was it solely the extraordinary level of artistry of the performer and their ability to communicate with their audience, or might it also have been the opportunity to hear a new work, a beautifully crafted program, an unusual collaboration among several artists, or some words from the stage (before, during or after the concert), that engaged the audience and made them feel both welcome and enlightened? Aspiring young artists should keep in mind that critics often have to choose which event to cover among multiple concerts taking place simultaneously. It is elements such as these which can figure into their decision.

In the announcement of the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism, the first of its kind to focus on performance and performance criticism, the Oberlin Conservatory’s dean, David Stull, states: “All of us have reactions to concerts, but rarely do we refine these reactions into perspectives. During the course of the inaugural week in January, the audience, the critics and musicians will have an opportunity to engage with and consider music, not just hear it”. The ten student fellows participating in this imaginative program have been hand-picked from a larger group that have taken Oberlin’s Introduction to Music Criticism course in the fall.  All ten will write reviews of four performances (all part of Oberlin’s Artist Recital Series) to be given in the Institute week by The Cleveland Orchestra, The International Contemporary Ensemble, Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra, and pianist Jeremy Denk, who as the author of a widely read blog, will also participate as a journalist. (The wonderful programs, which include the world premiere of a work by David Lang, as well as details of a public session with several of the guest artists on composing and performing, can be found on the Institute’s website.) The students’ reviews will be critiqued by distinguished journalists, both in private workshops and in public Panel Sessions dealing with writing critically about music. The guest journalists, who include Anne Midgette, Alex Ross, Tim Page and Heidi Waleson, will also give pre-concert keynote talks, addressing the many opportunities for writing and speaking about music.  At the end of the Institute, they will join with Dean Stull and the Institute’s benefactor, Stephen Rubin, President and Publisher of Henry Holt & Company, to determine the winner of the $10,000 Rubin Prize, which is intended to support further study and internships in the field of music criticism.  An additional $1000 Public Review Prize will be given to an audience member who submitted a review of one of the first three concerts. The three professional critics judging these reviews – Donald Rosenberg of the Plain Dealer and Mike Telin and Daniel Hathaway of ClevelandClassical.com – will consider “critical acumen, fluency of writing and clarity of thought”. Six reviews of each concert will be chosen for consideration and posted on the Rubin Institute’s website. The authors will receive private feedback by e-mail from the three critics. The winning review will be chosen from this group of eighteen submissions.

Judging from all this, I would say that Oberlin, Ohio will be an exciting place to be in mid-January. Lucky are the students and the entire community, who will have the opportunity to be in the company of such journalistic luminaries and to be part of what promises to be a memorable week of immersion in great performances, inspired talks and eye-opening insights into the world and the art of music criticism.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2011